Vacations for Sports Enthusiasts

By Playboy.com StaffNovember 19, 2012

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Planning a vacation is hard. Especially if it's around every single playoff season. Here are our favorite vacation spots for sports enthusiasts.

If you have a sports enthusiast in your family or you are one yourself, you know how hard it is to plan vacations around playoffs, tournaments, division series and home games. Sure, flying to Paris to visit the Louvre sounds like a great life experience, but how hard will it be to find an American bar that is airing the next Bull’s game? For your next vacation, why not make your love of sports the basis of the trip and check out one of these holiday destinations that are completely sports oriented.

Baseball Spring Training in Tampa, Florida

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If your friends refer to you as Mr. Baseball, your girlfriend schedules her spa appointments around the World Series and you hate Bill Murray not because of his performance in Garfield but because he’s a partial owner of the St. Paul Saints, the best place for you to enjoy your well-earned days off is the spring training camps in Florida.

We’ve done the spring training circuit vacation, and it is without a doubt one of our favorite trips. The beaches are unbelievable, the fresh seafood in Tampa is out of this world and the bars are always jam-packed with people ready to party.

To get the most bang for your buck, you should schedule through jaybuckley.com. This company sells vacation packs that include 12 days full of training games, two regular season games, city and ballpark tours, admission to the Baseball Hall of Fame and lodging at the Tampa Hilton. With all the money you save you’ll be able to afford the Major League Stadium beer prices and still have some money left over to buy a crate of oranges to ship home. More info here

Drive a Race Car in Las Vegas

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We remember doing doughnuts in the movie theatre’s parking lot after seeing The Fast and the Furious in 2001. We sped away when someone called the cops, because driving fast is fun. In a world where speeding is left to the police, paramedics, New York City taxi drivers and race car professionals, we’re left in the bleachers, hypnotically watching as our favorite NASCAR racers spin round and round the track, hoping we don’t get hit in the face with a tire.

So, if you’re a fan of NASCAR or driving over the speed limit without being tailed by the police, the Las Vegas Motor Speedway is for you. Located 15 miles from the famous Las Vegas Strip, the 1.5 mile tri-oval is there for you to unleash all of your speedway fury between hitting the casinos and getting your drink on. There are a couple packages to choose from, so depending on how crazy you are about race tracks, the more money you’ll want to spend on your experience. More info here

Tour of the Alps and Provence Cycling Vacation

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You’ve watched the Tour de France every year from the comfort of your own home and have daydreamed about finishing the last leg of the race when you’re pushing to complete your spinning class; now you can enjoy the historic tour of the Alps and Provence for yourself! “Combining a love of the history of cycling along with 16 years of experience in France, [Velo Echappe] have assembled a cycling vacation that will have you create your own legend.”

What’s great about the tour of the Alps and Provence is that their one-of-a-kind itinerary mixes the food and wine culture you will only find in France with the intense cycling tour you’ve been dreaming of completing. With the beautiful Savoy Alps and lavender fields of Provence as your setting, there is no possible way you can go wrong with this vacation. Words of caution: don’t be fooled by the incredibly welcoming itineraries listed on their site; only the fittest and most determined Tour de France fans will be able to complete this at times harrowing cycling vacation. More info here

Hockey Hall of Fame Induction in Toronto

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If you’re a Canadian, you’re bound by law to be a hockey fanatic, so this is the perfect getaway for any Canuck or hockey enthusiast who wants to fork over some hard-earned cash for a very cool once-in-a-lifetime experience. Imagine getting up close and personal with the biggest names in the NHL at the Hockey Hall of Fame Induction Celebration, an absolute dream for any hockey fan.

Located at the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto, Ontario, travelers will have tons of hockey-related sights to see throughout their stay: the Hall of Fame itself, Wayne Gretzky’s restaurant and the Induction game at the ACC, as well as all of the signings and fan forums occurring during the weekend. The Hall of Fame teamed up with Roadtrips to develop a vacation package that includes four days and three nights of first-class accommodations at the heart of the city, preferred seats to the Hall of Fame game, tickets to the Hall of Fame Legends classic game, gala tickets for the Induction Celebration and a complimentary photo with the coveted Stanley Cup.